In 1996, Nauert was a reporter for the syndicated business program First Business. She worked for Fox News from 1998 to 2005, first as a contributor for three years and then as a correspondent for four years. During her time as a correspondent, she regularly contributed to The Big Story.[7]

In 2007, Nauert returned to Fox News as co-host with John Gibson of the weekday edition of The Big Story[8] until it was cancelled in 2008.

Nauert also co-anchored the newscasts Good Day Early Call and Good Day New York Wake Up with co-anchor Steve Lacy weekday mornings for Fox Broadcasting Companyowned-and-operated stationWNYW in New York City. In October 2012, Nauert left Good Day Wake Up and became a news presenter for Fox & Friends.[8][9] According to The Washington Post, Nauert "broadcast just about every right-wing talking-point under the sun" when she was a presenter on Fox News. She referred to undocumented immigrant children as "illegals" and warned that immigrant children were bringing "disease". In 2013, she claimed that "sharia law is now changing everything," citing a swimming group for Muslim girls in a YMCA in St. Paul, Minnesota. She pushed Benghazi conspiracy theories.[10]

She has appeared on two fictional TV shows where she played herself: Brother's Keeper (1 episode, 1999) and 24 (3 episodes, 2010).

On April 24, 2017, the United States Department of State announced that Nauert would be the new State Department spokesperson, her first role in government.[11] She held her first press briefing in that role five weeks later, on June 6, 2017.[12] Following the dismissal of Steve Goldstein on March 13, 2018, Nauert was named acting Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, the fourth ranking position in the State Department.[13][10] In that role, she oversaw a budget of $1.2 billion and almost a thousand employees.[10] During her time in the State Department, Nauert did not develop a close relationship with Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, but after Tillerson's dismissal, she became part of Mike Pompeo's inner circle when he took over as Secretary of State.[10][14]

In August 2018, Canada called for the immediate release of Saudi human rights activist Raif Badawi and his sister, Samar Badawi. In response to Canada's criticism, Saudi Arabia expelled the Ambassador of Canada and froze trade with Canada, leading to a decline in Canada–Saudi Arabia relations.[20] Nauert said: "It is up for the Government of Saudi Arabia and the Canadians to work this out. Both sides need to diplomatically resolve this together. We cannot do it for them."[21]

Nauert criticized China's re-education camps and human rights violations against ethnic Uyghurs and other predominantly Muslim ethnic minorities in China's north-western province of Xinjiang. She said that "credible reports indicate that individuals sent by Chinese authorities to detention centers since April 2017 number at least in the hundreds of thousands, and possibly millions."[22][23]

In February 2019, it was reported that she did not intend to return to work as State Department spokeswoman following her withdrawal from consideration as U.N. ambassador.[1]

Proposed nomination as United States Ambassador to the United NationsEdit

On December 6, 2018, major news organizations reported that Trump had picked Nauert to become United States Ambassador to the United Nations.[24] On December 7 he announced that he would nominate her to the position.[25] Trump told reporters that Nauert was "excellent," adding, "She’s been a supporter for a long time."[26] Upon the announcement of her selection, news outlets noted that she had risen rapidly through the ranks of the State Department and that she had no foreign policy experience. Politico wrote, "Less than two years ago, Heather Nauert was conducting interviews on 'Fox and Friends.' Now, she’s preparing to navigate the world’s raging geopolitical issues."[27] A Washington Post headline read, "Heather Nauert once cited D-Day in 'long history' of U.S.-German relations. Now she’s headed to the U.N."[10]

Despite Trump’s announcement of her selection, Nauert was never formally nominated. In filling out paperwork for the appointment, she reportedly revealed that she had employed a nanny who was in the country legally but lacked a proper work visa.[1] Citing family considerations, Nauert withdrew her name from consideration on February 16, 2019.[28]

Nauert is married to Scott Norby, executive director of private credit and equity for Morgan Stanley, who previously held positions at National Veterinary Associates, UBS, Goldman Sachs, and Cargill. The couple has two sons.